would I like to have one? yes...I've priced a replacement barrel for my Benelli Nova and it costs more that what I paid for my shotgun 4 years ago!!! even a Hastings is up in price, but I can't find any (the downside of buying 'Italian quality' instead of keeping the Mossberg 500 I had previously)

financial constraints prevent me from obtaining one and even used 'hunting' shotguns are rising in price...why? not sure, but I would guess some folks are buying them for conversion into a tactical/defense shotgun by buying a replacement barrel or having barrels cut...

I am steadily buying all types of 12ga loads for my shotgun (just a hunting type pump shotgun) and I have yet to find more than 2 or 3 boxes of .223 or 5.56 in the last 2 months...

another thought came to mind...if a bunch of states or federal government does pass something that limits/bans/eliminates .223/5.56 semiautomatics (as well as 'higher capacity tactical' shotguns) then I think there might be a rise in sales of shotguns that hold 5 rounds with shorter barrels...not quite 'tactical' but very well suited for defense purposes...

if I ever have to 'bug out' or leave my home in a 'survival' manuever I am grabbing my shotgun and a .30-06 hunting rifle as my long guns and leaving the 'defense' rifle if I am limited in what I can haul (same thing goes for handguns...take the .357 magnum & .38 spl stuff and leave the 9mm simply due to versatility)

my overall answer...no not dead, not obsolete, perhaps in 'limbo' since the re-emergence of 'defense' rifles...